Steering means for water craft



Feb. 4, 1930,

J. E. HOWARD 1,745,370 STEERING MEANS FOR WATER CRAFT Filed April 15,192.8.-

Patented Feb. 4, 1930 "UNITED STATES JAMES EDMUNDS HOWARD, FJEFFEBSONVILLE, IJSTDIl-YN'A STEERING "MEANS FOR WATER CRAFT Applicationfiled April 13,

This invention relates in general to improvements in the steeringmechanism of water craft.

One of the objects of this invention is the provision of an improved andhighly efficient means for guiding boats through the water comprising aparticular arrangement of rudders. v

A further object of this invention is the 19- provision of a pluralityof rudders associated in a particular manner with respect to thepropeller for the purpose of efiiciently controlling the movements ofboats through the water.

A further object of this invention is the disposition of the pluralityof rudders in the propeller stream by means of which the boat may beeffectively steered.

These and other objects as will appear from the following disclosure aresecured by means of this invention.

This invention resides substantially in the combination, construction,arrangement and relative location of parts all as will more fully appearhereinafter.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view with a portion broken away of the stern of aboat showing the arrangements and parts forming this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the structure disclosed in Figure1.

There are a number of forms of devices in the art by means of which aneffort is made to 35 provide efficient steering mechanism for watercraft. It is the purpose of this invention to provide a simple structureby means of which boats may be effectively handled by means of theparticular association of rudders with respectto the propeller. As iswell known, the reaction of the propeller or Wheel on the Water producesa current stream which travels in a direction away from the stern of theboat. It has been found that by properly placing a plurality of ruddersin this propeller or wheel stream that the boat may be made to respondmore quickly and effectively to the rudders when they are rotated at anangle with respect to the propeller or wheel stream.

Referring to the drawings for a better understanding of the invention,.the hull of ,the boat is shown at 1 having the overhanging stern 2which-is longitudinally curred ,as is clearly seen from Fig. 2. Thepropeller shaft 4: is icurnaled the board ng sii port .3-attachedtotl1eundersu facec-fthe hull -,a11d has mounted ,on its end the propeller or.driying wheel 5. The rudders 7 and .8 are mounted .on the verticalrotatable rudder posts lOand 11,atespectivelmdirectlyin fnont of thepropeller 15. A third rudder ,9 is mounted on the vertical rotatablerudderpost .12 in .backofthe propeller 5 sons to lie in the longitudinalaxis of the propeller shaft .4- T crudcle s and prop er a e mountedunder the overhanging portion 2 of the hull.

The operation ofthe device will be atonce apparent. The powerful current.or stream of water set .in motion ,by .the propeller will react .on,the rudders 7,, :8 and ,9 when they are rotated at an angle withrespect to the direction of movement of the :Stream so that the rapidlymoving water will act thereon to cause the boat to change its .course,in .a direction depending upon the direction in which the ruddersarerotated. The dotted lines represent .the two extreme positions towhich the rudders may ,be moved.

It will ,be evident from this construction that due to the reaction ofthe propeller. stream on the udders boa b lefielcti'vely and rapidly mde o change its course ,on rotationof the rudders.

I am well aware thatmany changes in the detail of construction andrelative association of parts will readilyoocur to those skilled in theart and I do not, therefore, desire to be s t y l mited to the form ofth l ?I )I as disclosed for the purposes .of illustrating the principlesof my invention but rather .to the field of prqtection delined in theappended laimswh lseekto secure .bylln ted StatesLe ta s a en i 1. In astructure of the typedescribed, the combinati n with the 11111101 .0heat, of a p pellerand haftmou ted cithe stern the eof, f n a p ur lityof rudders two of which are nged On On ea h ;$i e 9 the p o elle s e tsa 3 0 he in the current stream ne of and mounted to rotate in arcs theextreme ends of which are near to and non-intersective with the axis ofthe propeller shaft.

2. In a device of the type described, the combination with the hull of aboat, of a propeller and propeller shaft mounted thereon, and aplurality of rudders at least two of which are mounted forward thereofso as to lie in the current stream of the propeller and mounted torotate in arcs the extreme ends of which are near to andnon-intersective with the axis of the propeller shaft. e

3. In an arrangement as described, the combination with a boat hull, ofa propeller and propeller shaft mounted at thestern thereof,

JAMES EDMUNDS HOWARD.

a plurality of rudders mounted forward of said propeller and. a'ruddermounted to the rearward thereof so that all of said rudders lie in thecurrent stream of the propeller, the

aforementioned plurality ofrudders being ends of which are near tobut'non-intersective with the axis of the propeller shaft.

*L'In a device of the type, described, the combination with a boatehullhaving an overhanging stern portion longitudinally curved on its lowersurface, of a bracket supported below the overhanging portion, apropeller and a propeller shaft rotatably journaled in said bracketing,and a plurality of rudders mounted forward of said propeller and one oneither side of said shaft so as tolie in the current stream, saidplurality of rudders being mounted to rotate through arcs the extremeends of which are near to the propeller shaft axis. I y

5. The combination as described, comprising a hull havingan overhangingstern portion longitudinally curved on the underside thereof, apropeller and propeller shaft rotatively mounted on the hull under saidoverhanging portion, two rudders mounted on the hull for rotationthrough arcs the extreme ends of which are near to the propeller shaft;

and about a vertical axis forward of said propeller and another ruddersupported on the hull for rotation on a vertical axis arranged to therearward of said propeller, all of said rudders lying within the currentstream of said propeller. I

6. In a device of the type described, the combination with the hull of aboat, of a propeller and propeller shaft mounted thereon, a ruddermounted aft ofsaid propeller and two rudders disposed one on either sideof and normally parallel to the axis of said propeller shaft and behindsaid propeller and mounted to rotate through arcs the extreme ends of twhich are near to and non-intersective with the axis of the propellershaft.

7 In an arrangement of the type described, the combination with a boathull having an overhanging stern portion longitudinally curved on itslower surface,- of abra'cketsupported below the overhanging por tion, ashaft

